Why MYSTERIES? Because that is the genre I read. Why PARADISE? Because that is where I live.
Among other things, this blog, the result of a 2008 New Year's resolution, will act as a record of books that I've read, and random thoughts.

Listening to a book is a different experience in the sense that the narrator's dramatic and interpretive gloss inevitably supplants your own. You absorb an audible book more passively than you would if you were reading it yourself.

I certainly treat audible books as ones that I have "read."

While listening to an audio book is technically not 'reading' a book, I do consider it so. I have absorbed the plot of the story, I have visualized the characters in my mind, and I have drawn a conclusion of whether or not I liked the book the same as if I had read it.

I like to reread books on audio because I can glean something new usually from the book being read to me.

For me, "reading" means a book, one with ink-and-paper, between covers.

Whether we absorb a story through reading the words or through hearing the words, the point is, we've absorbed the story. I see no difference between reading the book or listening to the book (as long as it's the full-length, unedited version of the book).

So this week's poll is "would you ever read an abridged book?"
Look for the poll in the right hand margin.
You'll find a post where you can comment on this here.

There's actually quite a bit of science that says for a big segment of the population this statement "You absorb an audible book more passively than you would if you were reading it yourself." is not true.

Anyway I'm glad to have permission, though I would have continued to count them even if the poll had gone the other way :)

Having a story read to me as a child was a treat - a nightly one for a while, and listening to the radio too - "Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin" brings back very happy memories. I definitely agree that audiobooks are books that I've read.

It's interesting that abridged audio books don't really "count", but would an abridged "book book" count? Does reading a 600 paged version of "The Count of Monte Cristo" not count as reading the book? (this example is slightly skewed, seeing as it is taken from my childhood - I was ten years old at the time...)

Obviously, this survey reflects readers' opinions, no more. But it's still somewhat interesting to think about...